Aerospace Manufacturing Engineer: Lean & Innovation Lead

GKN Aerospace; Tallassee (AL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

GKN Aerospace in Tallassee, Alabama is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to support production and development programs, ensuring zero-defect manufacturing through robust process design and continuous improvement. The role focuses on applying advanced manufacturing technologies to composites, tooling, fabrication, and assembly.

You will develop and implement technical solutions, lead root cause investigations, design tooling, and collaborate across functions while driving Lean initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• 6+ months of experience in aerospace composite manufacturing, including fabrication, tooling, or autoclave/oven-cure processes.
• Working knowledge of composite materials and production methods such as layup, bonding, and cure.
• Must be a U.S. Person per ITAR regulations to comply with export compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement technical solutions for complex manufacturing challenges.
• Provide manufacturing engineer support for production integration and supplier-related issues.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions to resolve non-conformances.
• Design tooling and production plans using standard manufacturing engineering methodologies.
• Support product development activities for manufacturing, which include quoting, tooling design, configuration changes, and first article inspections.
• Deliver measurable results aligned with manufacturing program and value stream objectives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams and external partners.
• Champion Lean initiatives and drive continuous improvement through various manufacturing processes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or related field

Tools

PFMEA

Control plans

SPC

NDI/NDT techniques

Composite machining

Job description

GKN Aerospace in Tallassee, Alabama is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to support production and development programs, ensuring zero-defect manufacturing through robust process design and continuous improvement. The role focuses on applying advanced manufacturing technologies to composites, tooling, fabrication, and assembly.

You will develop and implement technical solutions, lead root cause investigations, design tooling, and collaborate across functions while driving Lean initiatives.